AIR SAFETY IN ANTARCTICA
The Representatives,
Recalling Recommendations I-X and XIV-9;
Recognising the importance of ensuring safe air operations in the Antarctic, and:
(a) that there is a wide range of problems in air operations which are becoming more urgent with increasing activity;
(b) that the principal body of knowledge and experience of Antarctic air operations, and its current problems, lies with the operators of national Antarctic programmes;
Noting, with appreciation, the Report of the Meeting of Experts on Air Safety in Antarctica, held in Paris from 2 to 5 May 1989;
Recommend to their Governments that:
1. For the purpose of ensuring that measures for improved air safety apply to all flights in Antarctica, measures to improve air safety set out in paragraphs 2-10 below should be elaborated on the basis of ICAO criteria, taking due account of the specific features of Antarctica as well as of existing practices and services.
2. For the purpose of ensuring the safety of air operations in the Antarctic Treaty area, they exchange, preferably by 1 September and no later than 1 November each year, information about their planned air operations in accordance with the standardized format at Annex 1 to this Recommendation.
3. For the purpose of improving air safety in Antarctica, national Antarctic programmes operating aircraft in Antarctica and their aircrews should be provided with a continuously updated compendium (‘Handbook’) describing ground facilities, aircraft and aircraft operating procedures (including helicopters) and associated communications facilities operated by each national Antarctic programme (out of the use of which questions of liability will not arise) and, therefore, they should:
(a) prepare such a Handbook as a matter of urgency;
(b) facilitate the preparation of such a Handbook by their national Antarctic programme operators by collective action through the medium of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes (COMNAP) federated to SCAR;
(c) adopt a loose-leaf format in which information provided by each national operator is kept separate (unless facilities are jointly operated) so as to facilitate updating of information;
(d) request their national Antarctic operators to provide information for the purpose of compiling the Handbook in accordance with Annex 2 to this Recommendation.
4. For the purpose of ensuring mutual awareness of current air operations and exchanging information about them, they should designate:
(a) Primary Air Information Stations (PAIS) which coordinate their own air information and information from their Secondary Air Information Stations (if any) for the purpose of notifying current air operations to other PAIS. These PAIS should have adequate communication facilities able to transmit "hard copy" information by means of an agreed HF data mode and/or INMARSAT; and
(b) Secondary Air Information Stations (SAIS) which comprise stations/bases (including field bases and ships) which provide air information to their parent coordinating PAIS.
5. For the purpose of avoiding air incidents in areas beyond the range of VHF radio coverage of primary and secondary stations, aircraft outside the areas covered by primary and secondary stations should use a specific radio frequency to apply the "TIBA" procedure laid down in Annex 11 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
6. So as to ensure compliance with Article VII, paragraph 5 of the Antarctic Treaty and also Recommendation X-8, Part IV, they should keep one another informed about non-governmental flights and a reminder of the above provisions should be given to all pilots filing a flight plan for flights to Antarctica.
7. So as to provide for the improved collection from, and exchange within Antarctica of meteorological data and information of significance to the safety of Antarctic air operations, they should:
(a) encourage the World Meteorological Organisation in their work towards this end; and
(b) take steps to improve meteorological services available in Antarctica, specifically to meet aviation requirements.
8. For the purpose of ensuring effective communications between Primary Air Information Stations (PAIS), they ensure that their PAIS have adequate facilities for communicating with other PAIS, and that, in this connection, they bear in mind the INMARSAT system.
9. For the purpose of locating aircraft in distress in Antarctica, and noting the possibilities offered by the COSPAS-SARSAT system for the location of Emergency-Locator-Beacons-Aircraft transmitting on 406 Mhz, they designate points of contact which are to be the addressees of emergency location messages relating to air operations in Antarctica generated by the COSPAS-SARSAT system.
10. For the purpose of enhancing the safety of operation of aircraft in the longer term, studies should be undertaken, at a suitable time, aimed at making use of a satellite communication and navigation system being developed within the framework of ICAO.
The Representatives,
Recalling Recommendations I-X and XIV-9;
Recognising the importance of ensuring safe air operations in the Antarctic, and:
(a) that there is a wide range of problems in air operations which are becoming more urgent with increasing activity;
(b) that the principal body of knowledge and experience of Antarctic air operations, and its current problems, lies with the operators of national Antarctic programmes;
Noting, with appreciation, the Report of the Meeting of Experts on Air Safety in Antarctica, held in Paris from 2 to 5 May 1989;
Recommend to their Governments that:
1. For the purpose of ensuring that measures for improved air safety apply to all flights in Antarctica, measures to improve air safety set out in paragraphs 2-10 below should be elaborated on the basis of ICAO criteria, taking due account of the specific features of Antarctica as well as of existing practices and services.
2. For the purpose of ensuring the safety of air operations in the Antarctic Treaty area, they exchange, preferably by 1 September and no later than 1 November each year, information about their planned air operations in accordance with the standardized format at Annex 1 to this Recommendation.
3. For the purpose of improving air safety in Antarctica, national Antarctic programmes operating aircraft in Antarctica and their aircrews should be provided with a continuously updated compendium (‘Handbook’) describing ground facilities, aircraft and aircraft operating procedures (including helicopters) and associated communications facilities operated by each national Antarctic programme (out of the use of which questions of liability will not arise) and, therefore, they should:
(a) prepare such a Handbook as a matter of urgency;
(b) facilitate the preparation of such a Handbook by their national Antarctic programme operators by collective action through the medium of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes (COMNAP) federated to SCAR;
(c) adopt a loose-leaf format in which information provided by each national operator is kept separate (unless facilities are jointly operated) so as to facilitate updating of information;
(d) request their national Antarctic operators to provide information for the purpose of compiling the Handbook in accordance with Annex 2 to this Recommendation.
4. For the purpose of ensuring mutual awareness of current air operations and exchanging information about them, they should designate:
(a) Primary Air Information Stations (PAIS) which coordinate their own air information and information from their Secondary Air Information Stations (if any) for the purpose of notifying current air operations to other PAIS. These PAIS should have adequate communication facilities able to transmit "hard copy" information by means of an agreed HF data mode and/or INMARSAT; and
(b) Secondary Air Information Stations (SAIS) which comprise stations/bases (including field bases and ships) which provide air information to their parent coordinating PAIS.
5. For the purpose of avoiding air incidents in areas beyond the range of VHF radio coverage of primary and secondary stations, aircraft outside the areas covered by primary and secondary stations should use a specific radio frequency to apply the "TIBA" procedure laid down in Annex 11 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
6. So as to ensure compliance with Article VII, paragraph 5 of the Antarctic Treaty and also Recommendation X-8, Part IV, they should keep one another informed about non-governmental flights and a reminder of the above provisions should be given to all pilots filing a flight plan for flights to Antarctica.
7. So as to provide for the improved collection from, and exchange within Antarctica of meteorological data and information of significance to the safety of Antarctic air operations, they should:
(a) encourage the World Meteorological Organisation in their work towards this end; and
(b) take steps to improve meteorological services available in Antarctica, specifically to meet aviation requirements.
8. For the purpose of ensuring effective communications between Primary Air Information Stations (PAIS), they ensure that their PAIS have adequate facilities for communicating with other PAIS, and that, in this connection, they bear in mind the INMARSAT system.
9. For the purpose of locating aircraft in distress in Antarctica, and noting the possibilities offered by the COSPAS-SARSAT system for the location of Emergency-Locator-Beacons-Aircraft transmitting on 406 Mhz, they designate points of contact which are to be the addressees of emergency location messages relating to air operations in Antarctica generated by the COSPAS-SARSAT system.
10. For the purpose of enhancing the safety of operation of aircraft in the longer term, studies should be undertaken, at a suitable time, aimed at making use of a satellite communication and navigation system being developed within the framework of ICAO.
